Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L47/00—Traffic control in data switching networks
  • H04L47/70—Admission control; Resource allocation
  • H04L47/76—Admission control; Resource allocation using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation requested by the user or requested by the network in response to changing network conditions
  • H04L47/762—Admission control; Resource allocation using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation requested by the user or requested by the network in response to changing network conditions triggered by the network
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L47/00—Traffic control in data switching networks
  • H04L47/10—Flow control; Congestion control
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L47/00—Traffic control in data switching networks
  • H04L47/10—Flow control; Congestion control
  • H04L47/11—Identifying congestion
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L47/00—Traffic control in data switching networks
  • H04L47/10—Flow control; Congestion control
  • H04L47/22—Traffic shaping
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L47/00—Traffic control in data switching networks
  • H04L47/10—Flow control; Congestion control
  • H04L47/24—Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L47/00—Traffic control in data switching networks
  • H04L47/70—Admission control; Resource allocation
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L47/00—Traffic control in data switching networks
  • H04L47/70—Admission control; Resource allocation
  • H04L47/74—Admission control; Resource allocation measures in reaction to resource unavailability
  • H04L47/745—Reaction in network
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L47/00—Traffic control in data switching networks
  • H04L47/70—Admission control; Resource allocation
  • H04L47/76—Admission control; Resource allocation using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation requested by the user or requested by the network in response to changing network conditions
  • H04L47/765—Admission control; Resource allocation using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation requested by the user or requested by the network in response to changing network conditions triggered by the end-points
  • H04L47/767—Admission control; Resource allocation using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation requested by the user or requested by the network in response to changing network conditions triggered by the end-points after changing the attachment point, e.g. after hand-off
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L47/00—Traffic control in data switching networks
  • H04L47/70—Admission control; Resource allocation
  • H04L47/78—Architectures of resource allocation
  • H04L47/781—Centralised allocation of resources
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L47/00—Traffic control in data switching networks
  • H04L47/70—Admission control; Resource allocation
  • H04L47/80—Actions related to the user profile or the type of traffic
  • H04L47/805—QOS or priority aware
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L47/00—Traffic control in data switching networks
  • H04L47/70—Admission control; Resource allocation
  • H04L47/82—Miscellaneous aspects
  • H04L47/822—Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W28/00—Network traffic management; Network resource management
  • H04W28/02—Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
  • H04W28/0231—Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control based on communication conditions
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W28/00—Network traffic management; Network resource management
  • H04W28/02—Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
  • H04W28/0252—Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control per individual bearer or channel
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W8/00—Network data management
  • H04W8/02—Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
  • H04W8/04—Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W24/00—Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W28/00—Network traffic management; Network resource management
  • H04W28/16—Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
  • H04W28/18—Negotiating wireless communication parameters
  • H04W28/20—Negotiating bandwidth

Definitions

• the present invention relates to telecommunications systems and methods and to a mobility manager operable within a telecommunications system to provide mobile internet protocol related services to mobile nodes via a plurality of access networks.
• GSM Global System for Mobiles
• UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
• WIFI Wireless Local Area Networks
• Such WLANs provide a substantially greater data rate than can be provided through cellular mobile radio architectures such as GPRS and UMTS.
• WLANs are often unregulated in that a single mobile node can occupy a greater proportion of the available data communications bandwidth than another mobile node.
• Many applications utilize an internet protocol to support data communication such as for example multi-media services.
• a communications service may be provided by communicating internet protocol packets via a variety of different networks. The application may not be aware of the type of network via which the internet protocol packets are being communicated. Thus, in the case of wireless communications the application may communicate internet packets via GPRS or WLAN networks.
• GPRS General Packet Radio Service
• WLAN networks may be provided using different communications session levels, each level providing a different quality of service as determined by the access network via which the mobile
• CONFlRMATiON COPY node is currently communicating. For each communications session level, different types of media may be communicated. Thus for example, for one communications session level video may be supported, whereas another level may only support audio.
• European patent EP 1 435 748 discloses a telecommunications system in which a mobility manager is arranged to control a communications session provided to a mobile node in accordance with an access network which the mobile node is currently communicating internet data packets.
• An applications server provides a communications service to the mobile nodes.
• the mobility manager in combination with the applications server negotiate a change in a communications session level within the service which is provided to the mobile node in accordance with a change in communications bandwidth associated with a change of affiliation from one access network to another access network.
• a change in the quality of service provided via the communications session may be affected thereby maintaining a level of service to which a user has subscribed.
• International patent application WO 03/047296 discloses an arrangement in which messages which form part of a mobile IPV6 internet protocol are extended to provide a facility for a mobile node and a mobility manager to communicate link quality related messages.
• the mobile node is disclosed as sending a request for a handover only when the link quality on its current communications mobile access network is decreasing, so that, seamless mobility is achieved but no quality of service is enabled.
• a mobility manager for providing mobility management of mobile nodes, which have subscribed to an applications server for a communications service.
• the applications server is arranged to control a level of a communications session provided within the communications service in accordance with bandwidth allocated to the applications server for the mobility-managed mobile nodes by the mobility manager from an access point to which the mobility-managed mobile nodes are attached.
• the mobility manager receives traffic shaping report messages from a traffic shaper within an access network of which the access point forms part.
• the traffic shaping reports report on a current use of bandwidth, for each of a plurality of different traffic types, by one or more non mobility-managed mobile nodes, which are not controlled by the mobility manager.
• the traffic shaping report messages also report on bandwidth used by one or more of the mobility-managed mobile nodes, which are managed by the mobility manager.
• the mobility manager is operable, in response to the traffic shaping reports, to adapt the traffic pattern in accordance with the current use of bandwidth of the different traffic types by the non mobility-managed mobile node, and to communicate the adapted traffic pattern to the traffic shaper for use in controlling the bandwidth of the access point in accordance with the adapted traffic pattern.
• the mobility manager is therefore able to control an amount of bandwidth used by mobile nodes, which are not controlled by the mobility manager, which will be referred to as non mobility-managed mobile nodes.
• a bandwidth available to the access network is divided between each of a plurality of different traffic types for non mobility-managed mobile nodes and between mobility managed mobile nodes, which are currently attached to the access point.
• the mobility-managed mobile nodes receive bandwidth allocations from the mobility manager through requests from an applications server.
• the non mobility-managed mobile nodes which have not subscribed to the mobility manager and are using different services such as e-mail or web-browsing are controlled by the traffic shaper to the effect that an amount of bandwidth, which can be used on the access point is controlled in accordance with an allocation provided by the traffic pattern.
• the bandwidths for these mobile nodes which have not subscribed to the mobility manager MM are controlled from the different traffic types by the traffic shaper.
• the mobility manager controls the bandwidth allocated to the non mobility- managed mobile nodes, to the effect that these mobile nodes do not consume a disproportionate amount of the bandwidth available from the access point.
• mobile nodes which are receiving a communications service from an applications server for which the mobility manager is allocating bandwidth and controlling handover, are able to receive a fairer share of the bandwidth available from the access point.
• Mobile nodes which are receiving a communications service from an applications server for which a bandwidth allocation is controlled by the mobility manager will be referred to as mobility-managed mobile nodes.
• a mobility manager can provide mobile internet protocol related communications services to mobile nodes via a plurality of access networks.
• a mobility manager according to the present invention seeks to address a perceived technical problem with a previously proposed arrangement of a telecommunications system with a mobility manager.
• the mobility manager disclosed in co-pending European patent applications number 04292921.6 provides a facility for maintaining a highest communications session level, whilst controlling inter-network handover, in combination with congestion control.
• the congestion control and the inter-network handover are prioritised in accordance with a level of service to which the mobile nodes have subscribed.
• the service level subscription based congestion control and handover management is only provided to mobile nodes which are using communications services from applications servers, which have subscribed to the mobility manager for controlling this handover and congestion control.
• embodiments of the present invention can provide a telecommunications system in which an access network is provided with a traffic shaper for controlling an amount of bandwidth consumed by each of a plurality of different traffic types as well as mobile nodes which are attached to one or more access points of the access network.
• the traffic shaper is arranged to control an amount of bandwidth consumed by non-mobility-managed mobile nodes according to each of a plurality of different traffic types and by mobility-managed mobile nodes attached to the access point in accordance with a traffic pattern.
• the traffic pattern specifies an amount of bandwidth which has been allocated to each of the different traffic types for the non mobility- managed mobile nodes and the mobility-managed mobile nodes.
• the IEEE 802.11 WLAN provides an example of an unregulated radio access network, in that the spectrum is unregulated and free-for-all, in contrast to cellular systems such as GSM, GPRS or UMTS where mobile nodes are assigned resources by the network.
• TSR Traffic Shaping Request
• TSRe Traffic Shaping Reply
• Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a telecommunications system in which mobile nodes are provided with internet protocol communications services using a plurality of access networks by an applications server, the mobility being controlled by a mobility manager;
• Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of parts of the telecommunications system shown in Figure 1 to illustrated the parts associated with the operation of the mobility manager;
• Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram showing in more detail the parts of the telecommunications system shown in Figure 2;
• Figure 4 is an illustrative representation of a global traffic pattern identifying an amount of bandwidth which is available from an access point for in going and out going traffic;
• Figure 5 is an illustrative representation of a traffic pattern for the in going traffic for the access point corresponding to the global traffic pattern shown in Figure 4;
• Figure 6 is an illustrative representation of a traffic pattern for the out going traffic for the access point corresponding to the global traffic pattern shown in Figure 4;
• Figure 7 is a schematic representation of a message flow and process steps performed to provide the mobility manager shown in Figures I 5 2 and 3 with information pertaining to a current use of bandwidth from the access point;
• Figure 8 is a flow diagram illustrating a process of adapting dynamically a traffic pattern of a traffic shaper by a mobility manager
• Figure 9a provides an example of a traffic pattern before adaptation by the mobility manager, whereas Figure 9b provides the traffic pattern after adaptation by the mobility manager;
• Figure 10 is a flow diagram illustrating a first part of a process performed by the mobility manager to allocate bandwidth to an applications server in response to a request from the applications server;
• Figure 11 is a flow diagram illustrating a further part of the process illustrated in Figure 10, in which the required session bandwidth can be recovered from the plurality of different traffic types, and re-allocated any remaining bandwidth to the traffic types;
• Figure 12 is a flow diagram illustrating a further part of the process illustrated in Figure 10, in which the required session bandwidth is provided by closing a communications session from a lower priority mobile node, and allocating the freed bandwidth to provide the required session communications bandwidth;
• Figure 13 is a flow diagram illustrating a further part of the process illustrated in Figure 12;
• Figure 14a provides an example of a traffic pattern before adaptation by the mobility manager where the mobility manager is allocating bandwidth to the applications server to provide a communications service to a newly active mobile node, whereas Figure 14b provides the traffic pattern after adaptation by the mobility manager;
• Figure 15 is a flow diagram illustrating a process performed by the mobility manager to re-allocate bandwidth to a plurality of different traffic types, after a communications session provided to a mobility-managed mobile node has decreased or closed;
• Figure 16a provides an example of a traffic pattern before adaptation by the mobility manager where the mobility manager is re-allocating bandwidth between a plurality of different traffic types when a communications session provided by the applications server to a mobility-managed mobile node has closed
• Figure 16b provides the traffic pattern after adaptation by the mobility manager.
• FIG. 1 A general system architecture for elements forming an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figure 1.
• an applications server AS is arranged to execute an applications layer program for providing, for example, a multimedia communications service to mobile nodes MN.
• the applications server AS is providing the multi-media communications session, a communications link via which the service is provided utilises an internet protocol which is supported over a communications channel which may be effected via a number of different mobile communications access networks 4, 6, 8, 10.
• a service level may vary according to the type of access network via which the mobile node is communicating, because a communications bandwidth, which can be provided by the access network, will be different in accordance with the types of the access network.
• the bandwidth may also vary for a mobile node, which is attached to an access network, in accordance with an amount of congestion on the network and/or a variation in radio reception/transmission conditions.
• a mobility manager MM is provided in order to control the communications session and more particularly the handover of the mobile node from one access network to another.
• the mobility manager MM controls the handover and congestion of the access networks 4, 6, 8, 10 in dependence upon user profile information.
• the user profile information is provided by a mobility manager register 12, which may include an indication of a service quality level to which a user of the mobile node MN has subscribed.
• m Figure 1 for each of the access networks 4, 6, 8 an access gateway AG is provided through which all inbound and outbound internet packets are communicated to and from the mobile nodes MN.
• the access gateways AG are also associated with one or more access points AP with which the mobile nodes MN are affiliated. For each access point AP there is provided an amount of communications bandwidth, the amount varying according to the type of radio access interface with which radio communications with the mobile node is effected.
• the mobile nodes MN may handover between access points within an access network (intra network handover) or may handover from one access point on one access network and another access point on one of the other access networks (inter network handover) thanks to a traffic shaper mating 4, 6, 8.
• An intra-network handover is not controlled by the mobility manager, but by the network itself, although a session level may change in accordance with a change of link quality.
• the first and second access networks 4, 6 may be WLANs operating in accordance with IEEE802.11b
• the third access network 8 may be a GSM network.
• the mobility manager MM receives access network evaluation messages (ANEag) from access gateways AG.
• the mobile nodes also communicate Mobile Node Evaluation (MNE) messages reporting on a currently experienced like quality, so that the mobility manager can control handover to provide the algorithm application in accordance with the operator policy.
• MNE Mobile Node Evaluation
• the mobility manager adapts the bandwidth allocated to the mobile nodes, in accordance with a service level to which the mobile nodes have subscribed and an amount of congestion on the access point, to provide a highest communications session level, which is available.
• the operation of the mobility manager to perform controlled handover and network de-congestion is described in more detail in European patent application 04292921.6.
• the inbound and outbound internet packets which are routed from the access gateway to the mobile nodes via the access points AP with which the mobile nodes MN are attached also pass through and are analysed by a traffic shaper TS.
• a traffic shaper TS is provided to each access network after the first router R.
• Routers R are provided to the access networks to allow internet packets to be communicated between different parts of the network according to an internet protocol (for example IPv4, IPv6).
• the first router R is therefore the first of the routers via which internet packets are received from or sent to an external network and is therefore provided for routing internet packets into and out of the access network.
• the router R is therefore associated with the access gateway AG.
• the telecommunications system shown in Figure 1 is arranged to control an amount of bandwidth used by mobile nodes MN. This is not only for those mobility-managed mobile nodes, whose bandwidth use is controlled by the mobility manager MM, but also those non mobility- managed mobile nodes, which are not receiving a communications service from an applications server, which subscribed to the mobility manager.
• the bandwidth is controlled to the effect that these mobile node MN which are non-mobility manager subscribers do not consume so much bandwidth that they prevent mobility-managed mobile nodes from receiving a fair distribution of the available bandwidth.
• a more detailed illustration of a mobility management architecture is provided in Figure 2.
• the mobility manager MM is shown with the mobility manager register 10 and an access gateway node 20 within a section 22 which is controlled by an operator of the mobility management network.
• the applications server AS provided within an area 24 controlled by a service provider is arranged to provide communications services to the mobile node MN.
• the communications services may provide multi-media communications providing within a communications session different session levels, each level corresponding to a different type of media which can be communicated using a quality of service required by that level.
• the mobility manager MM controls the handover of these mobile nodes between the access networks and between the access points within the access network to the effect of providing wherever possible the highest communications service level corresponding to the quality of service provided on a link which the access point is able to support.
• the mobile node MN which is controlled by the end user 26 is attached to one of the access points AP 28 of one of the access networks 30.
• the access network 30 may include a plurality of access points AP, which are controlled by the access gateway (not shown) of the network 30.
• Within the access network 30 there is a router 32 via which all internet packets flow into and out of the access network 30, whether these are for signalling data or control plane data. As illustrated in Figure 2 the broken line shows the passage of the user plane data whereas the solid line shows the communication of control plane data.
• the traffic shaper 34 controls an amount of bandwidth available from the access point, which is used by non mobility-managed mobile nodes for each of a plurality of different types of traffic and mobility-managed mobile nodes, which are attached to the networks and the access point.
• the traffic shaper 34 controls the distribution of bandwidth in accordance with a traffic pattern.
• the traffic pattern is adapted dynamically by the mobility manager.
• the traffic shaper 34 can thereby control, in accordance with the adapted traffic pattern, the amount of bandwidth which is provided to each of the different types of traffic and the mobility- managed mobile nodes attached to the access point.
• the number of access points AP which may be associated with an access gateway within an access network may change dynamically.
• the traffic shaper can be arranged to discover the access points within the access network and inform the access gateway of these access points.
• the traffic shaper 34 can furthermore update the list of access points held in the access point date base 110, when the list of access points changes.
• FIG 3. A more detailed illustration of the form of an access network in accordance with the present technique is illustrated in Figure 3.
• a mobility manager MM is shown to communicate internet packets providing control data to and from a mobile node MN via a virtual communications path 100.
• the access network receives internet packets from the mobility manager and communicates internet packets to the mobility manager via a router 102. These internet packets also pass through the traffic shaper 104 as explained above with reference to Figure 2.
• the traffic shaper 104 includes an access gateway 106 as well as a Mobility Manager Access Network Evaluation Traffic Shaper (MM ANETS) module 108 and an access points database 110.
• the access network also includes switches (layer 2-OSI) 112, 114, 116 which route internet packets to and from access points API, AP2, APN which form part of the access network.
• the mobile nodes MN communicate mobile node evaluation messages MNE to the mobility manager MM reporting on a current link quality which is experienced by the mobile node.
• the mobile node evaluation messages (MNE) provide information on all the access points AP which can be detected by the mobile nodes.
• the mobile node evaluation messages MNE pass through the the MM ANETS module 108 before being communicated to the mobility manager MM.
• the MM ANETS module 108 can analyse the MNE messages and extract information to identify the access points APn within the access network from which the MNE messages were communicated by the mobile nodes MN.
• the MM ANETS module 108 communicates the identified access points to the access point database 110 which is also utilised by the access gateway 106.
• the access gateway must have a list of access points which are included within the radio access network.
• the mobility-managed mobile nodes MN which are controlled by the applications server to receive a communications service under the influence of the mobility manager, send Mobile Node Evaluation (MNE) messages which contain information about the access points seen by the mobile node to the mobility manager.
• MNE Mobile Node Evaluation
• the MNE messages are sent to the mobility manager MM via the traffic shaper.
• the MM ANETS module in the traffic shaper 104 then extracts access point information from the MNE messages, compiles a list of access points and deposits this in the access point database 110.
• the traffic shaper can then monitor a use of the bandwidth from the access point by analysing internet packets, which pass to and from the mobile nodes, which are attached to the access points. By analysing the internet packets, the traffic shaper can determine the protocol with respect to which the internet packets are being generated. The traffic shaper can then determined an amount of bandwidth being used for each protocol by traffic type.
• the access network shown in Figure 3 is a wireless local area network (WLAN) and may only have one access point for example providing a communications bandwidth of 11 Mb/s. However, a practical maximum bandwidth may only be 7.1 Mb/s. This bandwidth is divided between outgoing traffic and incoming traffic, an example division of bandwidth being shown for example in the schematic block diagram in Figure 4.
• WLAN wireless local area network
• each of the ingoing and outgoing traffic is divided.
• the outgoing traffic may have a total minimum bandwidth guarantee of 550 kb/s with an actual bandwidth which is used for outgoing traffic of 1.3 Mb/s.
• the bandwidth available to the access network is divided between each of a plurality of different traffic types for non mobility-managed mobile nodes and between mobility managed mobile nodes, which are currently attached to the access point.
• the mobility-managed mobile nodes receive bandwidth allocations from the mobility manager MM via the applications server or may be mobile nodes which have not subscribed and are using different services such as e-mail or web- browsing. Hence the bandwidth for these mobile nodes MN which have not subscribed to the mobility manager MM are controlled from the different traffic types.
• the allocation of the available bandwidth for the ingoing and outgoing traffic is controlled by the traffic shaper 104 in accordance with a traffic pattern, one for the ingoing traffic and one for the outgoing traffic.
• FIG. 5 An example illustration of an ingoing traffic pattern and an outgoing traffic pattern for the WLAN is provided in Figures 5 and 6 respectively.
• the traffic pattern includes four columns.
• a first column 202 protocols are identified which are not permitted on the access point and are therefore rejected.
• a second column 206 208 a list of non mobility- managed services is provided. These include such things as e-mail, web browsing, virtual protocol networks (EPN), downloading and other non mobility manged services.
• EPN virtual protocol networks
• Each of the traffic types is identified with respect to the parameters, which are to be controlled by the traffic shaper.
• the minimum bandwidth guaranteed is 1 Mb/s whereas the actual bandwidth currently used is 1 Mb/s and this traffic type has a priority of three.
• the third column 210, 212 of the ingoing and outgoing traffic patterns a list of entries of mobile nodes which are using mobility manged services are provided. So each segment in the third column 210, 212 of Figures 5 and 6 identifies a mobility- managed users together with a current bandwidth allocation and a priority given to that user with respect to other traffic types.
• a mobile user45 has been allocated 200 kb/s and has a priority 4.
• 216 of the ingoing and outgoing traffic patterns shown in Figures 5 and 6 a plurality of the segments are shown which identify protected protocols. These protocols take the highest priority and are guaranteed a certain bandwidth for the protocol type.
• a voice-over IP protocol is allocated a bandwidth of 250 kb/s with the highest priority.
• the columns of the traffic pattern are arranged with increasing priority going from right to left across the page.
• the traffic pattern for the traffic shaper TS, 104 is adapted in accordance with the demands of the non mobility-managed mobile nodes for each of the different traffic types and the requests by the applications server to the mobility manger for bandwidth to be allocated to the mobility-managed mobile nodes.
• the mobility manager MM performs a traffic shaping algorithm to adapt the traffic pattern and maintains the traffic pattern for each of the traffic shapers.
• the mobility manger MM adapts the traffic pattern in accordance with information received from each of the traffic shapers in Traffic Shaper Report messages, which are communicated from the traffic shaper to the mobility manager. Messages communicated between the traffic shaper the mobility manager, the mobility manager register and the applications server in accordance with the present technique are illustrated in Figure 6.
• each of the elements which are involved in the traffic shaping algorithm are illustrated with respect to a message flow.
• the mobile node MN communicates mobile node evaluation messages MNE to the access gateway within the traffic shaper TS using message Ml.
• the traffic shaper TS evaluates from the current use of bandwidth for each of the different traffic types and the mobile nodes forms a Traffic Shaping Request message M2 requesting a reallocation of the access point's available bandwidth and communicates the TSR message to the mobility manager MM.
• the applications server AS does not take part in general updates of the traffic shaping pattern although as will be explained shortly the applications server AS may request a change of bandwidth for a particular mobile node from the mobility manager which will also trigger the traffic shaping algorithm 310.
• the applications server AS may determine that one or more of the mobility-managed mobile nodes requires an increase or a decrease in a bandwidth allocation from the access point to which it is attached. As shown in Figure 6, the applications server AS therefore sends an applications server message M3 to the mobility manager to request a change in bandwidth allocation for the one or more mobile nodes.
• the mobility manager MM updates the mobility manger register 300 with a current bandwidth used by the mobile nodes communicating via the particular access point.
• the mobility manager register 300 is updated with a current bandwidth used by the mobile nodes communicating via the particular access point.
• the mobility manager MM acknowledges the update, which represents context information.
• the mobility manager MM interrogates the mobility manager register 300 for current context information for the mobile nodes which are attached to the access point for which the traffic shaping algorithm is to be performed.
• the mobility manager register 300 replies with a current minimum bandwidth and other information associated with a current service which the mobile nodes attach the particular access point are using. As illustrated by an arrow 310 the mobility manager
• the mobility manager MM then performs the traffic shaping algorithm to update the traffic pattern associated with the access point.
• the mobility manager MM then updates the traffic shaper with the adapted traffic pattern using a Traffic Shaper Reply enforcement (TSRe) M6.
• TSRe Traffic Shaper Reply enforcement
• the messages illustrated in Figure 6 may be written in the application layer so that for example the messages could be XML messages over TCP/IP or UDP/IP.
• Traffic Shaper Report (TSR); the traffic shaper is the component that allows collecting information on the sessions of a mobile node connected to an access point and provides a message containing information on a mobile node session to be sent to the mobility manager.
• Traffic Shaper Reply enforcement (TSRe) which is sent by the mobility manager to the traffic shaper to enforce decisions on sharing the resources between different mobile nodes attached to the particular access point. Performance of the Traffic Shaping Algorithm to Update the Traffic Pattern
• the mobility manager performs the traffic shaping algorithm to update the traffic pattern for each access point after receiving traffic shaping reports.
• a general process of updating the traffic pattern for each traffic shaper is illustrated in Figure 8.
• Figure 8 is summarized as follows:-
• the mobility manager MM receives a TSR message from the access point providing information on a current used of bandwidth by the non mobility- managed mobile nodes for each of the different traffic types and by each mobility- managed mobile node which is managed by the mobility manager MM.
• S2 For each access point, an amount of unused bandwidth (Un-usedB W) is determined from each traffic type, which did not use its maximum allocated bandwidth. Thus, the mobility manager compares the currently allocated bandwidth with the greater of the currently used bandwidth and the minimum guaranteed bandwidth. If the allocated bandwidth is greater than the maximum of the currently used and the minimum guaranteed bandwidth, then the un-used bandwidth is calculated.
• a difference between a currently allocated bandwidth (AllocatedBW) and a maximum of the currently used bandwidth ⁇ currentBW) and the minimum guaranteed bandwidth (Minguaranteed) is calculated according to the following expression: UnusedBW - J] (AllocatedBW (n) - va&x(currentBW(n),Minguaranteed(n)))
• the mobility manager determines whether as a result of the calculation in step S2 there is any bandwidth available to be reallocated between the different traffic types.
• AllocatedBW ⁇ n max(currentBW(n),Minguaranteed(n))
• SlO The mobility manager, for each access point, re-allocates the unused bandwidth (UnusedBW) to the non mobility-managed mobile nodes for each different traffic type in accordance with a relative portion of a currently used bandwidth
• NewAllocated(n) currentBW (ji) + UnusedBW x
• the traffic pattern is then adapted by the mobility manager in accordance with the newly allocated bandwidth to form an adapted traffic pattern.
• the mobility manager then communicates the adapted traffic pattern to the traffic shaper for use in controlling the bandwidth used on each access port.
• FIGs 9a and 9b provide an illustration of an update of a traffic pattern for an access point, as performed by the mobility manager, for three example traffic types of web browsing, File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and Virtual Protocol Network (VPN) and two Mobility Managed (MM) mobile nodes MM user 1, MM user 2.
• each traffic type includes a currently allocated bandwidth a priority an indication of a currently used bandwidth as provided by the TSR messages and a minimum guaranteed bandwidth. So, for the example of web browsing, a currently allocated bandwidth is 1 MbIs, with a priority of three, a used bandwidth of 1 Mb/s and a minimum guarantee bandwidth of 600 kb/s.
• the mobility manager determines that there is no bandwidth to be reallocated from the web browsing protocol, because all of the allocated bandwidth of 1 Mb/s is currently being used.
• FTP File Transfer Protocol
• the 1 Mb/s has been re-allocated from the FTP service to the Web browsing and the Virtual Private Network (VPN) protocol in accordance with the relative priority given to each protocol and the amount of bandwidth which was being used.
• the Web browsing protocol receives 900 kb/s and VPN receives 100 kb/s, so that the total allocated bandwidth is 1.9 Mb/s and 390 kb/s for Web browsing and VPN respectively.
• an allocated bandwidth is 1 Mb/s for MM user 1 with a priority of 4 with a current bandwidth usage of 500 kb/s.
• the bandwidth is not reallocated from the mobility-managed mobile nodes because the bandwidth allocation to mobile nodes is managed by the applications server.
• the mobility manager only allocates bandwidth to mobility-managed mobiles nodes on request from the applications server.
• Figure 9b provides an illustration of the traffic shaping pattern following an update of the pattern by the mobility manager.
• the calculated unused bandwidth has been distributed amongst the traffic types in accordance with a relative priority and an amount of bandwidth, which was previously being used in accordance with the expression provided in step S8.
• the share of the unused bandwidth provided to web browsing with respect to the minimum guarantee bandwidth of 600 kb/s is 900 kb/s making allocated bandwidth 1.9 Mb/s.
• the FTP traffic type of the allocated bandwidth of 2Mb/s, only 1 Mb/s was currently being used and so has been allocated a bandwidth of 1.0 Mb/s.
• FIGS 10, 11, 12 and 13 provide flow diagrams illustrating the operation of the mobility manager when performing the traffic shaping algorithm for the case where the applications server requests an increase in bandwidth to fulfil a requirement for a mobile node with respect to a communications session.
• the flow diagrams in Figures 10, 11, 12 and 13 will present the operation of the mobility manager for different outcomes of the traffic shaping algorithm.
• a common flow in the traffic shaping algorithm is represented in Figure 10 which is summarised as follows: SlOO: The mobility manager receives a request for bandwidth to be allocated to a mobile node to provide a communications service to the mobile node from the applications server.
• the request for a bandwidth may be to allow a mobile node to handover to an access point thus requiring bandwidth from that access-point, or it may be that the mobile node has been switched on by the user and requests bandwidth from that access point in order to begin communicating.
• the requirement for bandwidth may be to provide a mobile node which is already attached to an access point to allow the mobile node to increase a service level to allow for example a different media type to be communicated such as from audio to video material. This required bandwidth is referred to in the following description and in Figures 10 to 13 as the session bandwidth.
• the mobility manager determines how much bandwidth can be recovered from each of the different traffic types t ⁇ AvailableBW) by setting the bandwidth allocation for each traffic type to the minimum guaranteed bandwidth (Minguaranteed) with respect to the bandwidth currently allocated to this traffic type (Allocatedtrqff ⁇ c). This is expressed by the following expression:
• S 104 The mobility manger determines whether the bandwidth available from each of the traffic types is sufficient to meet the required session bandwidth. If the available bandwidth is sufficient to meet the required session bandwidth then processing proceeds from point A to the flow diagram in Figure 11 described below.
• the mobility manager determines whether the required session bandwidth is required for a new communications session, that is, the bandwidth is not required to increase a service level for a mobile node.
• SI lO The traffic shaping algorithm then ends.
• Sl 12 Alternatively as indicated for step S 104, if there is sufficient bandwidth to provide the session bandwidth, then the bandwidth is allocated and any remaining bandwidth is re-allocated as per the process represented by the flow diagram in Figure 11.
• Sl 14 If the bandwidth required by the applications server is to be allocated to a new communications session, then processing proceeds to determine whether there is one or more other mobility managed-mobile nodes which have a lower priority than the mobile node for which a new communications session is to be established. If there is one or more lower priority mobile nodes then a communications session for these mobile nodes is closed and the bandwidth re-allocated as represented by the flow diagram of Figures 12 and 13.
• S 120 The mobility manager allocates the session bandwidth to the applications server for the mobile node.
• the mobility manager then recalculates the bandwidth of each traffic type in accordance with a bandwidth which remains after the session bandwidth (sessionBW) has been allocated in proportion to a relative amount which that traffic type had to surrender (oldBWAllocated ⁇ f)-Minguaranteed(ty) in order to allocate the required session bandwidth to the mobile node.
• the mobility manager calculates the new bandwidth for each traffic type in accordance with the following expression:
• NewBWAllocated(t) oldBWAllocated(t)- sessionBW x A(t)
• the traffic pattern is adapted in accordance with the allocated bandwidth for the different traffic types and the mobile node which has been allocated the required session bandwidth.
• the adapted traffic pattern is then communicated to the traffic shaper for use in controlling the bandwidth used on the access point to which the mobile node is attached.
• the mobility manager determines whether the mobile node to which the required session bandwidth is to be allocated has a higher priority than another mobile node currently attached to that access point.
• the priority is predetermined in accordance with a subscription level for which the user of the mobile node has subscribed, which is stored in the mobility manager register 10, 300 and retrieved by the mobility manager MM.
• S 142 If the new mobile node does not have a higher priority than another mobile node attached to the access point then processing proceeds from B', that is through the branch to step S 108 shown in Figure 10.
• S 144 If the new mobile node does have a higher priority than another mobile node which is attached to the access point then the communications session for that lower priority mobile node is closed, thereby freeing bandwidth to be allocated to the new mobile node. The mobility manager then determines the total freed bandwidth (FreedBW). The total freed bandwidth is determined from the bandwidth freed by closing the communications session for the lower priority mobile node in combination with bandwidth recovered by setting each traffic type to the minimum guaranteed bandwidth (as per step S 102).
• S 146 The mobility manager then determined whether there is sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the requirement for the session bandwidth from the new mobile node. If the bandwidth is not sufficient to meet the required session bandwidth then processing loops back to step S140.
• S 148 If the bandwidth freed by closing the communications session for the lower priority mobile node is sufficient to meet the required session bandwidth then the mobility manager allocates the required session bandwidth to the applications server for that mobile node.
• S 150 The mobility manager then recalculates the bandwidth for each of the traffic types to the effect of redistributing any of the remaining bandwidth allocated to meet the required session bandwidth.
• the bandwidth is allocated by calculating the remaining bandwidth by subtracting the allocated session bandwidth ⁇ sessionBW) from the total freed bandwidth (FreedBW) and allocating this remaining bandwidth in proportion with the relative amount of bandwidth which each traffic type had to give up in order to free sufficient bandwidth for the new mobile node. This is calculated in accordance with the following expression:
• the traffic pattern is then adapted in accordance with the reallocated bandwidth for the different traffic types and the new mobile node which has been allocated the required session bandwidth.
• the adapted traffic pattern is then communicated to the traffic shaper and used for controlling the bandwidth on the access point to which the mobile node is attached.
• Figures 14a and 14b provide an illustration of the adaptation of a traffic pattern for an access point where a new mobile node has been ordered by the mobility manager to attach to the access point.
• the new mobile node MM user 3 is shown in Figure 14a by a broken outline whereas mobile nodes MM user 1, MM user 2 have a solid outline to show a segment of the traffic pattern which is already present.
• the segments corresponding to the different traffic types are otherwise the same as those illustrated in Figures 9a and 9b.
• Figure 14b as a result of setting each of the traffic types to the minimum guaranteed bandwidth, 1.7Mb/s of bandwidth is freed which easily accommodates the 500 kb/s requested by the new mobility managed mobile node MM user 3.
• the 1.2 Mb/s is then redistributed between each of the traffic types resulting in a reduction with respect to the previous allocation but an allocation which is greater than the minimum guaranteed bandwidth.
• FIG. 15 provides an example of re-allocating bandwidth amongst the different traffic types, after a communications session from a mobility managed mobile node closes.
• the example represented by the flow diagram of Figure 15 can be correspondingly adapted for an example where bandwidth is freed when a communications session level for a mobility managed mobile node decreases.
• Figure 15 is summarised as follows:-
• S200 The mobility manager when performing a traffic shaping algorithm receives a message from the applications server that a communications session with a mobile node has closed or has decreased.
• the mobility manager then identifies the access point to which the mobility-managed mobile node was attached for which a bandwidth requirement for the communications session has decreased or the communications session has closed, and calculates an amount of bandwidth freed by closing or decreasing the communications session.
• the mobility manager determines whether there is any bandwidth to be re-allocated from the other traffic types as per the calculation performed in step S2 of the flow diagram in Figure 8. If there is bandwidth to be reallocated from each of the traffic types, then this is combined with the bandwidth released by closing or decreasing the bandwidth for the communications session which has closed or decreased to form a total freed bandwidth.
• the mobility manager recalculates the bandwidth allocation for each traffic type (AllocatedBWirqffic(t)), which consumed all its allocated bandwidth, by determining a share of the freed bandwidth (FreedBW) in accordance with the predetermined priority (priority) and a currently used bandwidth (currentBW) from the following expression, which corresponds that in step SlO: priority (t) x currentBW (t)
• AllocatedBWtraffic(t) currentBW ⁇ t) + FreedBW x
• the mobility manager then adapts the traffic pattern in accordance with the allocated bandwidth for the different traffic types used by the non mobility- managed mobile nodes attached the access point.
• the mobility manager communicates the adapted traffic pattern to the traffic shaper for use in controlling the bandwidth used on the access point where the mobile node for which the applications server has just closed a communications session was attached.
• Figure 16a and Figure 16b provide an illustration of an adaptation of a traffic pattern before and after a communications session is closed for a mobile node MN user 1.
• the mobile node MN user 1 has allocated bandwidth of 1 Mb/s.
• the 1 Mb/s is combined with the 1 Mb/s freed from the FTP traffic type to form a total freed bandwidth to be reallocated of 2 Mb/s.
• the 2Mb/s is distributed between the traffic types of web browsing and VPN in proportion with a relative priority of each of these traffic types and a current bandwidth which is being used.
• web browsing receives an increased allocation of 1.8 Mb/s to provide an allocation of 2.8 Mb/s
• VPN receives an increase in bandwidth allocation of 200 kb/s to provide an allocation of 481 Kb/s.
• TSR Traffic Shaping Request
• Traffic Shaping Request message is sent from the traffic shaper to the mobility manager to provide information on the sessions of a user connected to an access network.
• the header of the TSR contains the following information: message type ( 1 byte ): 05 identifies Traffic Shaping Request messages. sequence number ( 1 byte ): this value is updated each time an TSR is sent lifetime ( 1 byte ): this value gives the validity time of the message sender identifier ( 6 bytes ): this value uniquely identifies the traffic shaper that sends the message and is its MAC address.
• the Access Point part contains the following information: access network type ( 1 byte ): Identifies the type of access network ( 01
• ani_Iength ( 1 byte ): this value gives the length of the ANI in bytes.
• access Network Identifier this value uniquely identifies the access
• access Point Identifier this value uniquely identifies an access ( 0-6 bytes ) point in an access network and is its
• Segment identifier 1 byte
• Bandwidth used 4 bytes
• this value identifies the actual bandwidth used in the segment in kb/s Traffic Shaping Reply Messages (TSRe ⁇
• Traffic Shaping Reply (TSRe) is sent by the Mobility Manager to the traffic shaper to enforce decisions on the sharing of the resources between the different users of an access network.
• the format of the TSRe message contains the following information: message type ( 1 byte ): 06 identifies Traffic Shaping Request messages. sequence number ( 1 byte ): this value is updated each time an TSRe is sent
• the Access Point part contains the following information: access network type ( 1 byte ): Identifies the type of access network ( 01
• ani_Iength ( 1 byte ): this value gives the length of the ANI in bytes.
• access Network Identifier this value uniquely identifies the access
• Segment identifier ( 1 byte ) : this value uniquely identifies a segment of bandwidth New length ( 4 bytes ): this value identifies the new length of the segment in kb/s Segment service ( 4 bytes): this value identifies the IPMM service
• Segment source address (4 bytes): this value gives the IP source address of the packets sent for the IPMM service
• Segment destination address this value gives the IP destination address (4 bytes): of the packets sent for the IPMM service
• the three above fields are only used when a new segment is created for a mobility-managed service.
• the fields allow defining the filter to recognise the traffic of the rPMM service in the traffic shaper.
• the mobility manger can be operable to re-allocate any bandwidth which remains after the freed bandwidth has been allocated to the applications server to provide the required increase in session bandwidth, by distributing the remaining bandwidth to each of the different traffic types in proportion with an amount of bandwidth which was lost by the traffic type when the bandwidth allocated to each traffic type was set to the guaranteed minimum.
• the mobility manager can be responsive to a request from the applications server to decrease or to close a communications session level of a mobility managed mobile node, to determine an amount of bandwidth freed as a result of the decreased communications session level or the closed communications session, to allocate the freed bandwidth between the traffic types in proportion with a relative bandwidth currently being used and a predetermined priority provided to each the different traffic types, and to adapt the traffic pattern in accordance with the allocation of the un-used bandwidth.
• the traffic shaper can control the bandwidth used by the mobility-managed and non mobility-managed mobile nodes for more than one access point, each of the access points having a traffic pattern, the mobility manager being operable to adapt the traffic pattern for use by the traffic shaper in controlling the bandwidth used by the mobility- managed and non mobility-managed mobile nodes.
• a computer program product has a computer readable medium having recorded thereon information signals representative of a computer program for the mobility manager.
• a traffic shaping reply message provides information from the mobility manager to the traffic shaper for adapting a traffic pattern to control an amount of bandwidth used at an access point by mobile nodes which are being managed by the mobility manager and on an amount of bandwidth being used by mobile nodes which are not managed by the mobility manager for each of a plurality of traffic types.
• a traffic shaping request message or a traffic shaping reply message is particularly generated at an application layer.

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• 2005
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